There is a continuing and urgent need for lubricants that can be used in environmentally sensitive areas. One particularly sensitive environment is the marine environment wherein containment poses a problem. For example on offshore drilling rigs, any leak or accidental discharge of a lubricant could go directly into the sea and intercoastal waters.
Typical lubricants used in industrial devices generally contain a mineral oil and additional additives that impart desired performance characteristics, such as antioxidants, corrosion inhibitors, viscosity builders, thickeners, antifoaming agents and load carrying additives. For the most part, commercial lubricants used in marine environments have included oil which contains some reactive hydrocarbons such as aromatics, and other additives containing heavy metals, such as molybdenum or zinc. In an accidental spill or leak, this oil may come into contact with the marine environment, leaving an oily sheen. This sheen can block the sunlight and affect the oxygen content of the water and growth of the microbes and algae. Any imbalance in the oxygen content may disturb the overall eco system of the waterways.
The present invention provides environmentally friendly lubricants useful for the industrial application in the marine environment such as encountered in the oil drilling industry. The lubricants of this invention contain no known toxic compounds, such as heavy metals, dioxin precursors, or any material on any list of chemicals in a concentration that could cause harm to the environment. The lubricants of this invention do not leave a sheen if accidentally spilled onto waterways.